Buoyancy unit for aeroplanes



Oct. 26 1926. 1,604,291

Y. H. KouN BUOYANGY UNIT FOR AEROPLANES Filed Jan. 26, 1926 ATTORNEYPatented oct. 26, 1926.-

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YO'UNG H0 KOUN, 0F NEW YORK, N'. Y.

BUQYANCY 'UIS'IT EROPLANES. u l

App'i'canon mammary 2e, i926.l serial No. 83,829.

The main object of this invention `is to provide means for rendering anaeroplane buoyant when it can be in no other way controlled. The meanscomprises aplurality of tl` silk bags which are mounted upon the wingsurface of an aeroplane and are adapted to be illed with hydrogen gasthru a novel type of valve, which when operated, controls thecirculation ofthe gas thru these bags.

Another object is to provide a buoyancy lunit for aeroplanes having Japlurality otA silken bags which communicates with a hyy drogen tank, thecommunicating pipe between the hydrogen tanks being equipped with valveswhichare operated by a novel type of mechanism' rlhe above andother'objects. will become apparent in the description below, in whichcharacters of reference refer to like-named parts in' the drawing. f f YReferring briefly to the drawing, Figure l illustrates a".top plan viewof the front portion oit an aeroplane, showing the buoyancy unit mountedon one of the plane surfaces "l a,

Figure 2 is a side elevational view ot the buoyancy unit, showing vtherelation ot' the p valve operating means to the remainder of thedevice.y l

Figure Sis 'a longitudinal sectional elevational view oit the valveoperating means.

Figure fl is a side elevational view of Fign ure 3. l Figure 5 is alongitudinal sectional elevational view, showing the valvefconstruction.Referringin detail to the drawing, the

,f numeral indicates the upper wing oit an aeroplane. From this upperwing, a Jruselage'is usually suspended. The cowl at the front of thetuselage covers the motor which rotates a Vpropeller 12. rlhe buoyancyunit may be mounted upon either plane surface andconsists ol a pluralityoit-circular bags 13. Thesebags can be made of such dimensions as willprovide a volume suitable lor buoyng the weight ot the craft to whichthe bagsare attached.' lln the drawing, the

buoyancy y-nnit is provided with eight bags, each pair of bags beingjoined in series vand, communicate thru a pipe l5 with a hydro A gentank 16 which is located on the side ot the fuselage. At a/ point in the'fuselage above the level. of the pipes 15, a hollow casing 17 is lined.This casing has recessed portions 18 at its lower Aend `and into theserecesses, the ends/oit prvoted plates l9 are la spring 32 which 'restson a threaded cap inserted. rlhe plates 19 arey mounted upon hinges 20and at their outer free ends have.` eyelets 21 to which wires 22 areattached. A

plunger 23 is slidable vertically in the casing 60 17 and hbasa handle24 at its upper projecting end. This plunger is` provided with a collar25 Within the casing fand .forms a shoulder for a spring 26 coiled aboutthe plunger and .retained onv the latte-r by a stationary or fixedflange 27 upon whichfthe spring 'is seated. rlhis spring is normallyadapted to lift the plunger upwardly so that the lower lend 28 of thelatter permits the plates 19 to normally rest in a horizontal positionas indicated in Figure 3.

Fach one of the pipes 15 is provided with a valve illustrated in Figure5. 7 rlhis valveY comprises'a circulanwall 29 1formed withinv the crosssection of the pipe. The wall has isslidable. 'iThe latter normallytakes up half the volume of the chamber within the wall. 29 and isnormally lifted upwardly by 33, the cap being provided to permit accessto the chamber bounded by the wall 29. The piston has a diametricallyextending opening 8d passing therethru which normally rests above theopenings 30 when the piston is in lifted position, as shown in Fi 'ure5. A stud projects from the piston t ru an opening in the wall of thepipe l5 and is adapted to be engaged by one end 36 of the lever 37. Thislever is vpivotally Jmounted at a position intermediate its length onvapin 38 supported onlugs 39. YThe opposite end oit'the lever has anupwardly extending ear l0 thereon in whichian opening is provided, theopening being lformed to permit the wires 22 to be secured to thelevers.

'llhe device is adapted to be used as a i buoyancy agent when anaeroplane` or heavier than a1r craft becomes unmanage 3100 able. As anaeroplane is lost control of, the handle 241 is depressed pivotally andas the loweriend 28 ot the `plunger 23 `contacts with the inner ends orthe plates 19, the latter have their outer ends lifted. The eyelets 2lat the outer ends of the a pair oit aligned openings 30, lWithin thechamber formed by the wall 29, a piston 31` lll] tot lates have the fwires 22 secured thereto an' as these wires Y 32 to a position Where thediametrically eX- tending opening 34 in the piston registers with theopenings 30 in the .Wall 29 and permits hydrogen, gas With which thetanks are {illedto lovv from the tanks thru the. pipes l5` and into thebags 13 which then become buoyant and aid in lkeeping the aeroplane in afloating condition so that the saine may drift to earth slowly;

l. In an aeroplane, a buoyancy unit coinprising bags adapted to bemounted on the wings, hydrogen tanks communicating with said bags thrupipes, said tanks being norinal-ly lilled with hydrogen, pipes mountedand connecting the bags and tanks, valves mounted in said pipescomprising lever operated pistons normally closing eommunication betweenthe bags and tanks, means beneath said pistons for closing communicationbetween the bags and tanks, pivoted levers cooperating with said pistonsfor depressing the latter, means for rotating said levers comprising aplunger, a easing receiving said plunger, plates adapted to be rotated,saidfplates being connected' to said levers.-

2. In an aeroplane a buoyancy unit conrprising bags adapted to bemounted on the Wings, hydrogen tanks communicating-With said bags thrupipes, said tanks being normally filled with hydrogen,`pipes mountedyand connecting the bags and tanks, valves mounted in said pipescomprising lever Leoaaei pressing tlie latter, means for rotating saidlevers comprising a plunger, a casing receiving said plunger, platesadapted to be \`rotated, said plates being connected to said levers,hinges kconnecting said plates to the casing, said plates' extendingoutwardly in i opposite directions, and a spring mounted on said plungerbeing adapted to lift the latter and permit horizontal alignment ot thehinge plates `when said valve pistons are in closed position. i

3. lin an aeroplane, a buoyancy unit comprising circular bags, hydrogentanks coupled Fto said bags, pipes connecting said tanks and bags,valves mounted in said pipes comprising a lever pivoted intermediate itslength on said pipe, pistons slidabliin said pipe adapted toclosecommunication Vbetween the bags and tanks, means for rotating saidlevers comprising a vertical slid- 'able plunger, a cylinder in saidcasing slidably receiving said plunger, hinged plates having one oftheir ends projecting beneath said plunger, said plates being pivotallysecured to said casing, and means for connectingsaid levers tosaidplates.

In testimony whereof l atiix my signature.

YOUNG H0 KOUN.

